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AIDA cruises speed up onboard Wi-Fi

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 10 July 2023: The rollout of SpaceX’s Starlink on the first ships of the AIDA fleet takes place faster than expected and is now offering AIDA travellers more bandwidth and faster internet connections.

By October 2023, all ships in the AIDA fleet will be equipped with SpaceX’s innovative Starlink broadband service. It means AIDA Cruises will offer one of the fastest Wi-Fi experiences at sea before the end of the year.

The service is already available on three ships; AIDAblu, AIDAbella and AIDAstella. Guests can benefit from a Starlink special offer with increased data volumes in the Internet packages from mid-July.

As the summer season progresses, the ships AIDAprima, AIDAperla, AIDAnova, and AIDAcosma will also be equipped with SpaceX’s Starlink.

About AIDA Cruises

AIDA Cruises is the leading cruise company in Germany, with voyages to over 250 ports worldwide. The AIDA fleet comprises 12 ships. It is part of the family of Carnival Corporation & plc cruise brands.

Emirates walks guests through Premium Economy

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 10 July 2023: Emirates celebrated the launch of its Premium Economy offering in Singapore last week with a tour of one of its enhanced four-class A380 aircraft.

The event kicked off at the Emirates Lounge at Changi Airport Terminal 1, after which guests were given a guided tour of the brand-new product and the enhanced interior across all cabin classes on board the Emirates A380. Guests took in the highlights of the exclusive premium economy experience that awaits travellers.

(L-R) Rashed Alfajeer, Emirates’ Country Manager in Iran & Central Asia, Daniel Ng, Senior Director (Aviation Development Group / Chief Sustainability Officer – CAAS), Orhan Abbas, Emirates’ Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations for Far East, Jayson Goh, Executive Vice President (Airport Management – CAG), and Rashid Al Ardha, Emirates’ Country Manager in Singapore & Brunei at the launch of Emirates Premium Economy.

On a four-class Emirates A380, the Premium Economy cabin is at the front of the main deck with 56 seats in a 2-4-2 configuration. In the cabin, every inch of space anticipates customer needs with a generous seat pitch and width for working and relaxing and customised features that offer function and convenience, like in-seat charging points and a side cocktail table. The experience is rounded off with expertly curated in-flight amenities, an inventive menu, and extensive beverage options. Emirates Premium Economy is deployed on flights EK 354 and EK 355 between Singapore and Dubai.

Tickets can be purchased on emirates.com, the Emirates App, at Emirates sales offices, and via both online and offline travel agents. Travellers should check the Emirates website for the latest travel requirements.

Airlines boost load factors in May

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 10 July 2023: The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released May 2023 traffic data showing strong growth in air travel demand.

Total traffic in May 2023 (measured in revenue passenger kilometres or RPKs) rose 39.1% compared to May 2022. Globally, traffic is now at 96.1% of May 2019 (pre-pandemic) levels.

Domestic traffic for May rose 36.4% compared to the year-ago period. Total May 2023 domestic traffic was 5.3% above the May 2019 level. This is the second consecutive month that domestic traffic has exceeded pre-pandemic levels.

International traffic climbed 40.9% versus May 2022, with all markets recording strong growth, led again by Asia-Pacific carriers. International RPKs reached 90.8% in May 2019, with Middle East and North American airlines exceeding pre-pandemic levels.

The total industry load factor rose to 81.8%, led by North American carriers at 86.3%.

“We saw more good news in May. Planes were full, with the average load factors reaching 81.8%. Domestic markets reported growth on pre-pandemic levels. And, heading into the busy Northern summer travel season, international demand reached 90.8% of pre-pandemic levels,” said IATA’s director general Willie Walsh.

International Passenger Markets

Asia-Pacific airlines had a156.7% increase inMay 2023 traffic compared to May 2022, maintaining a very positive momentum since the lifting of the remaining travel restrictions in the region earlier this year. Capacity rose 136.1%, and the load factor increased 6.4 percentage points to 80.0%.

European carriers posted a 19.8% traffic rise versus May 2022. Capacity climbed 14.2%, and the load factor rose 3.9 percentage points to 84.4%.

Middle Eastern airlines saw a 30.8% traffic increase compared to May a year ago. Capacity climbed 25.0%, and the load factor pushed 3.6 percentage points to 80.2%. The region is leading the recovery, with May traffic at 17.2% above 2019 levels.

North American carriers’ traffic climbed 31.0% in May 2023 versus 2022. Capacity increased 23.2%, and the load factor rose 5.1 percentage points to 85.1%, the region’s highest.

Latin American airlines had a 26.3% traffic increase compared to the same month in 2022. May capacity climbed faster– up 27.3% — and the load factor slipped 0.7 percentage points to 83.8%. The region was the only one to see capacity growth exceed traffic growth for the month.

African airlines’ traffic rose45.2% in May 2023 versus a year ago. May capacity was up 44.2%, and the load factor increased 0.5 percentage points to 68.8%, the region’s lowest.

Club Pirates teams up with Princess

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 10 July 2023: For fitness enthusiasts, Princess Cruises and Xponential Fitness’ signature Pilates brand, Club Pilates, have teamed up to offer the first-ever ‘Club Pilates at Sea’: An Alaska Retreat’, an action-packed adventure sailing roundtrip from Seattle aboard Royal Princess 2 to 9 September 2023.

This one-of-a-kind cruise marks the first time guests can enjoy a seagoing retreat dedicated to Club Pilates, the largest Pilates brand in the world, offering a low-impact, full-body workout with classes that challenge the mind and body.

Guests will participate in Club Pilates classes with glaciers and the rugged Alaska landscape as a remarkable backdrop. The September cruise offers the chance to view Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights).

Known for its rugged beauty, Alaska, the inaugural ‘Club Pilates at Sea’: An Alaska Retreat’ offers participants fitness experiences such as hiking, canoeing and ziplining while not forgetting the leisurely pursuits of whale watching, salmon bakes and tours of historical Gold Rush towns.

Regent Seven Seas unveils shore excursions

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TTR WEEKLY
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HONG KONG, 10 July 2023: Regent Seven Seas Cruises introduces 128 culinary-focused shore excursions in the Mediterranean in collaboration with local chefs and culinary experts.

The cruises visit France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and Turkey to sample regional delicacies. Regent boasts A collection of approximately 5,000 shoreside experiences worldwide.
Here are the highlights of Regent’s new European culinary-focused shore excursions.

Minoan Gastronomy Through History
Heraklion (Crete), Greece – FREE

Cooking Class with Local Chef
Pergamum (Dikili), Turkey – FREE

Farm-to-Table Amalfi-Style
Amalfi/Positano, Italy – USD119 per guest.

Porto’s Port Wine Cellars
Porto, Portugal – USD119 per guest.

Ultimate Provence Specialities
Toulon, France – USD139 per guest>

Menorcan-Style Lobster
Mahon (Menorca), Spain – USD139 per guest.

IHG lines up meeting incentives

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TTR WEEKLY
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SINGAPORE, 10 July 2023: IHG Hotels & Resorts has launched its newest campaign, ‘Meet How You Meet’ to boost meeting bookings with benefits such as complimentary rooms and upgrades at IHG Hotels & Resorts across Southeast Asia.

Event planners can choose from tailored offers based to a minimum spend.

The ‘Meet How You Meet’ campaign delivers 121 custom-built offers from IHG MICE hotels and resorts across Southeast Asia.
Booking period: Up to 31 December 2023.
Applicable for meetings held until 30 June 2024.
Complimentary rooms are linked to the number of paid rooms booked for an event, a minimum threshold that differs with each hotel property.

‘Meet How You Meet’ offers across the following popular destinations:

InterContinental Bangkok
Minimum spend: USD6,000

Voco Orchard Singapore
Minimum spend: USD10,000

Voco Ma Belle Danang
Minimum spend: USD7,500

Crowne Plaza Vinh Yen City Centre
Minimum spend: USD5,000

Crowne Plaza Phu Quoc Starbay
Minimum spend: USD5,000

Destination Mekong fills up board seats

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TTR WEEKLY
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PHNON PENH, 10 July 2023: Destination Mekong has confirmed the appointment of four directors who join 12 other directors to bring the board up to full strength 16 members to supervise the affairs of the destination management organisation until 2025.

Directors joining the board this month are:

Nikolas Hatz, managing director HatzConsult and Lead Consultant & Tourism Development Export | Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ);

Hannah Pearson, founder Pear Anderson and Regional Director Asia  Adventure Travel Trade Association;

Phan Thanh Ha, Partnership Officer ASSET – H&C network;

Guido Neil, Director of Special Operations 12Go. (renewal of directorship).

Additionally, new board members representing the most significant financial contributors to Destination Mekong are:

  • For the Overseas Cambodian Investment Corporation (OCIC): Thierry Tea, Vice President;
  • For the World Wildlife Fund (WWF): Jedsada Taweekan, Regional Illegal Wildlife Trade Program Manager for WWF-Greater Mekong;
  • For Confluences: Dara N. Van, Business Development & MarCom Manager;
  • For Control Union: Dilum Wijenayaka, General Manager, Control Union Cambodia;
  • For the AZ Group: Lim Bunsour, Chairman.

Jetstar adds Melbourne-Fiji route

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TTR WEEKLY
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SYDNEY, 10 July 2023: Jetstar will start direct flights between Melbourne and Fiji (Nadi) on 16 December, before the busy Christmas holiday.

Using an Airbus A321neo LR the airline will operate three weekly flights with capacity to uplift 72,000 customers to the South Pacific nation annually.

Photo credit: Jetstar

It’s the first time a low-cost carrier has offered nonstop flights from Melbourne to Fiji, and kick-off sales Jetstar offered one-way fares from AUD179 for just one day last week.

Jetstar’s Chief Customer Officer, Alan McIntyre, said now Melburnians can access great low fares and nonstop service to Fiji.

“Since relaunching our Sydney to Fiji services, we’ve seen strong demand from Melbourne travellers, and from December, they will be able to fly direct,” said McIntyre. “Fiji is a hugely popular destination for Australians, and with interest continuing to grow, we’re offering more than 70,000 great low fares seats each year between Melbourne and Fiji.”

The announcement comes just days after Jetstar began flying between Sydney and another new South Pacific destination, Rarotonga, the largest of the Cook Islands, using its NEO. The Airbus A321neo LR will also be deployed on the carrier’s existing Sydney to Fiji service starting from 29 October 2023, adding 46 seats per flight compared to the Airbus A320.

To support flying Melbourne to Fiji, the service between Sydney and Fiji will change to three return flights a week from 16 December 2023. The airline will offer six weekly flights from Australia to Fiji between the two services.

Melbourne-Fiji timetable starting 16 December 2023

Last week, Jetstar announced the launch of its fourth weekly return service between Sydney and Seoul, effective 5 February next year. Jetstar started flying between Sydney and the South Korean capital in November 2022 and currently operates three flights a week, carrying more than 60,000 customers a year between the two destinations. The fourth weekly service between Sydney and Seoul adds another 30,000 low fares to the popular route yearly.

Last week the low-cost carrier also announced three new flights every week between Brisbane and Seoul starting on 1 February 2024. It will boost Jetstar’s presence on routes from Australia to Seoul, Korea, to daily flights —Sydney (4) or Brisbane (3) — from next February, raising seat capacity to around 240,000 across the two routes.

Australia-Seoul timetable starting 5 February 2024

Marriott Bonvoy revives airline FFP links

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TTR WEEKLY
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HONG KONG, 7 July 2023: Marriott Bonvoy relaunches collaboration with frequent flyer programmes (FFP), Air China PhoenixMiles and China Southern Airlines Sky Pearl Club.

Air China PhoenixMiles and China Southern Airlines Sky Pearl Club are China’s most prominent frequent flyer programmes. By collaborating with these two frequent flyer programmes, Marriott Bonvoy members will earn more miles faster.

Benefits

Marriott Bonvoy members can choose to earn Marriott Bonvoy points or the flyer programme miles when making eligible purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels. The miles range from one to two miles per USD spent on all qualifying charges across different Marriott Bonvoy brands.

Members can transfer their points to miles for Air China PhoenixMiles or China Southern Airlines Sky Pearl Club at a conversion rate of 3:1. With every 60,000 points exchanged. Joint members will also receive an additional 5,000 bonus miles.

Emirates takes off to Montréal

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TTR WEEKLY
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DUBAI UAE, 7 July 2023: Emirates introduced flights to Montréal on Wednesday, marking the airline’s first passenger service to Québec’s culture capital and its second gateway in Canada.

Emirates flight EK243 carried 340 passengers, including a VIP delegation and media, on the inaugural flight to Montréal, which complements Emirates’ seven weekly services to Toronto and takes the airline’s North American network to 14 destinations and 18 across the Americas.

Photo (from left to right) – David Broz, Vice President of Aeropolitical and Industry Affairs; HE Radha Krishna Panday, Ambassador of Canada to the UAE; Adnan Kazim, Chief Commercial Officer; and Salem Obaidalla, Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations, Americas.

The service connects travellers to Canada via Dubai from points such as Lebanon, India, Iran, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand and South Africa.

Direct services between Dubai and Montréal should meet demand from business and leisure travellers, including those visiting family and friends. With Montréal being home to many world-class universities, the route is expected to become popular amongst students from the Middle East and Asia.

Emirates executives onboard the inaugural flight included: Adnan Kazim, Chief Commercial Officer; Salem Obaidalla, Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations, Americas; and David Broz, Vice President of Aeropolitical and Industry Affairs. Present at the airport to bid farewell to the delegation was HE Radha Krishna Panday, Ambassador of Canada to the UAE.

Emirates will operate its three-class Boeing 777-300ER on the route, featuring eight private suites in First Class, 42 lie-flat seats in Business Class and over 300 spacious seats in Economy Class for the daily service.

For more information and to make bookings visit: www.emirates.com

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